Research

Currently Funded Research Projects

Adaptation and Resilience in Habitat Planning: Coupled Human and Natural Systems Models of Oak Management in a Changing Climate

Oak forests provide important habitat for many of the highest priority wildlife species in southern Michigan. Maintenance and expansion of oak forests is a goal in many of the Michigan DNR’s State Game Area Master Plans. Despite their emphasis in wildlife management plans, oaks are neither stable nor increasing, except on very dry sites. Oaks on mesic sites in Michigan are shifting over time from fire-maintained oak systems to fire-suppressed maple systems. The research design for this study involves modeling oak forest sustainability at the landscape scale under realistic management and climate regimes.

Chris Hoving (Ph.D. 2021; co-advised by Dr. Gary Roloff). Funding provided by Michigan DNR.

Assessing Drivers of Spread and Transmission of Chronic Wasting Disease in Michigan Deer

We are developing new models to help manage emerging CWD with greater understanding of the relationship between risk of spread and relative management costs. These models are informed by data on movements, space use, and resource selection. We are equipping >125 deer in the Greater Lansing area with GPS satellite collars to characterize deer movement ecology in Michigan’s emergent CWD management zones across a gradient from urban to rural. This gradient is important because of differences in deer density and movement behavior in urban versus rural environments, and the associated management challenges they pose. This research is part of a larger study aimed at developing surveillance and management tools for emergent CWD.

Ph.D. Candidate: Jonathan Trudeau. Funding provided by Michigan DNR.

Evaluating the Interaction of Emerging Diseases on White-tailed Deer Populations

Deer management in Michigan faces serious threats from three significant diseases: chronic wasting disease (CWD), epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD), and bovine tuberculosis (bTB). Recent outbreaks of EHD and CWD in similar areas of southern Michigan demonstrate that we may soon face a situation where we need to understand the interaction of these diseases. We are working to couple disease prevalence information with spatial and temporal drivers of EHD and CWD to understand the role of two emerging and potentially interacting diseases on deer populations in Michigan. Further, we seek to better understand why these diseases have increased in frequency and distribution in Michigan. Ultimately, we hope to provide spatially-explicit models that anticipate future scenarios for deer management and disease risk.

Collaboration with Dr. Sonja Christensen. Funding provided by the Hal and Jean Glassen Memorial Foundation.

Group Size, Bioaccumulation, and Baiting: Quantifying Factors Affecting Disease Transmission Among Deer

A critical need for CWD management is to identify what factors influence aggregations of deer in agricultural regions and to quantify how those aggregations influence direct contacts (i.e., physical contact behavior) and bioaccumulation of feces at scales relevant for newly developed agent-based models for CWD. Understanding factors that influence congregations in agricultural regions and how deer interact under these circumstances would assist in epidemiological modeling for population management and control actions. The goal of this study is to evaluate factors influencing transmission of CWD among deer from an agricultural region of southern Michigan during the post-breeding period.

M.S. Student: Samantha Courtney (co-advised by Dr. Dwayne Etter). Funding provided by the MSU/MDNR Joint Wildlife Disease Initiative.

Influence of Harvest Regulations on Antlerless Harvest, Abundance, and Sex and Age Composition: Implications for Managing Deer in the Face of Chronic Wasting Disease

Managing potential spread and localized prevalence of chronic wasting disease has proven challenging for wildlife managers nationwide. Whereas some studies have shown that localized intensive harvest of deer has been successful at maintaining low prevalence of CWD, other research has established that different sex and age classes of free-ranging deer have different prevalence rates of disease. Consequently, harvest strategies to reduce deer abundance may be more effective if specific demographic segments of the deer population are targeted as well. The goal of this study is to evaluate potential change in antlerless deer harvest, deer abundance, and deer sex/age population composition following the introduction of mandatory antler point restrictions within in Michigan's 5-County Core CWD Area.

Collaboration with Dr. Sonja Christensen. Funding provided by the Michigan DNR.

Management Solutions for Chronic Wasting Disease

Preserving the health of white-tailed deer populations is a top priority for state and federal resource agencies because of their role in maintaining healthy ecosystems, preserving our hunting heritage, and providing a stable source of wildlife funding. This project aims to develop scientifically-based surveillance and monitoring techniques through risk-based assessments of human and wildlife factors associated with CWD outbreaks. Using data from CWD-endemic areas provides valuable insight into how CWD spreads on the landscape and why the disease can show sporadic distribution. The ultimate goal of the project is to identify and remove diseased animals quickly before CWD becomes well-established.

Ph.D. Candidate Noelle Thompson and Jon Cook (Ph.D., 2020). Funding provided by the Michigan DNR, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at MSU, MSU AgBioResearch, MSU Extension, the Glassen Foundation, and the Boone and Crockett Endowment at MSU.

The Next Frontier of CWD Models in Michigan: An Agent-based Approach for Surveillance and Management Assessment

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) in deer is a particularly difficult disease system to manage and surveil because many of the underlying ecological and disease processes are unknown. Agent-based models (ABMs) are particularly well suited to address the uncertainties inherent to CWD because they explicitly account for variability in individual deer behavior, specific environmental or landscape contexts, and variability in time since infection. Our goal is to use ABMs to develop efficient CWD surveillance and management strategies for the state of Michigan and establish a framework for transferring this approach to other states.

Funding provided by the MSU/MDNR Joint Wildlife Disease Initiative. Former postdoctoral associate Aniruddha Belsare contributed to this work.

Potential Wolf Expansion into the Northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan: Impacts on Cervid Ecology and Local Economies

The recovery of gray wolves in the Great Lakes region has led to an established population in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Documented sightings of wolves in the Northern Lower Peninsula (NLP) of Michigan have highlighted the possibility of continued expansion across the state. The NLP features a sizable population of white-tailed deer as well as a population of elk, which are both considered valuable state resources. Thus, the appearance of wolves may not only impact wild cervid populations but also affect local economies. We will investigate potential impacts of wolf expansion into the NLP. The project will integrate ecological and economic models to better inform wildlife policy.

Ph.D. Candidate: Nick Jaffe. Funding provided by the Boone and Crockett Endowment at Michigan State University.

Completed Projects

Monitoring Brown Bear Abundance in Katmai National Park, Alaska (Completed in 2021)

Southwest Alaska’s Bristol Bay is home to a large brown bear population. This area also boasts one of the world's largest naturally occurring salmon runs. Katmai National Park‘s mission is to preserve brown bear habitat and the salmon spawning grounds where coastal bears derive much of their nutrients. This study used long-term non-invasive ID data and behavioral observations to estimate age-specific survival, abundance, and productivity of brown bears in Katmai. We found that fluctuating population trends were significantly related to salmon escapement. Understanding changes in brown bear abundance can help not only preserve bear viewing and wilderness experiences for future generations, but can also help preserve a healthy and successful salmon fishing industry.

Leslie Skora (M.S. 2021). Funding provided by the Boone and Crockett Endowment at Michigan State University and in-kind support from the National Park Service.

American Woodcock Reproductive Rates in Relation to Forest Structure at Local Scales (Completed in 2020)

Long-term declines in American woodcock (Scolopax minor) abundance have been documented in Michigan as well as range-wide since consistent monitoring began in 1968. Available demographic estimates for woodcock support the idea that declines in abundance are due at least in part to declines in reproductive rates associated with changes in habitat characteristics. To better understand the relationship between habitat management and woodcock population dynamics, we investigated the effects of local habitat characteristics on woodcock reproductive rates in two distinct ecological regions of Michigan. These results will help managers to target habitat treatments that may improve woodcock reproductive success.

Ashley Huinker (M.S. 2020). Funding provided by the Michigan DNR.

Exploring the Relationships Among Land Use Policy, Human Communities, and Ecological Integrity in the Northern Forest (Completed in 2020)

Habitat loss is an important driver of the decline in wildlife worldwide, and conservation groups often advocate expansion of protected areas as a solution. Protected areas are generally recognized as essential for conservation, but there is ongoing debate over what kinds of regulations are the most effective, and how best to balance conservation with the needs of the expanding human population. These continuing controversies point to the need for analysis of how both protected areas and the nearby built environment affect wildlife diversity, as well as of how land use regulations affect nearby human communities. Management implications of this research include determining which land use regulations are most effective in promoting high-quality wildlife habitat, and informing policy makers as to the impact of their conservation decisions.

Kathryn Frens (Ph.D. 2020). Funding provided by the Boone and Crockett Endowment at Michigan State University.

Evaluating the Impacts of Landscape-level Changes on the Abundance and Distribution of Trophy White-tailed Deer (Completed in 2020)

There are obvious differences in the distribution of record book white-tailed deer harvested across the United States, with the majority of harvests occurring in the Midwest region. Understanding how landscape-level processes impact the occurrence of record book deer is important, because there is ongoing interest in management practices that improve the overall quality of the deer herd and increase the number of large bucks. This research examined spatial and temporal patterns in the distribution of older age class and record-quality bucks harvested in the Midwest. Results will be used to inform managers about the influence of habitat conditions, harvest regulations, and hunting traditions on characteristics of record book white-tailed deer.

Rebecca Cain (Ph.D. 2020). Funding provided by the Michigan DNR.

Black Bear Density, Resource Selection, and Movement Behavior in the Northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan (Completed in 2018)

This project focused on the relationships between density and resource selection of black bears in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. It used spatial capture-recapture models to improve estimates of black bear density in this area. Those estimates were used to explore how black bears utilize different landscapes and how density dependence affects black bears’ resource selection.

Jennifer Smith (M.S. 2018). Funding provided by the Boone and Crockett Endowment at Michigan State University and in-kind support from the National Park Service.

Midwest Wild Turkey Consortium (Completed in 2018)

The restoration of wild turkeys in North America during the 20th century is a well-known success story in wildlife management. The trajectory of turkey populations continued to increase early into the 21st century. However, turkey program leaders from across the Midwest began to detect shifts in the trend of turkey populations over the past several years. In 2013, the Midwest Wild Turkey Consortium (MWTC) was established to understand these shifting population trends. The mission of the MWTC is to help turkey program leaders understand wild turkey ecology and management in the modern era at a landscape-scale.

Chad Parent and Joanne Crawford (Postdoctoral Fellows). Funding provided by the Midwest Wild Turkey Consortium.

Local Scale Assessment and Monitoring of Deer Populations Following a Major Mortality Event (Completed in 2018)

Management challenges are posed by sudden and severe mortality events in ungulate populations, such as those caused by epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD). Deer populations are typically monitored regionally, however, disease-related mortality often occurs in highly localized areas that are difficult to assess at traditional management scales. This research sought to disentangle the role of EHD on deer populations at local and landscape scales where the disease has been recently emerging. This included monitoring the recovery of local deer populations over a five-year period, evaluating tools to assess deer abundance, collecting and evaluating information on local herd immunity, and understanding climatic and environmental drivers of EHD across management scales.

Sonja Christensen (Ph.D. 2017). Funding provided by the Michigan DNR.

Black Bear Demographic Parameters and Spatially-Explicit Capture-Recapture Estimation of Abundance in Michigan's Northern Lower Peninsula (Completed in 2018)

Black bear abundance is highly variable across the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, creating a variety of challenges for managers. This project used genetic data from bear harvest records and hair snares to estimate and map the abundance of black bears across Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. This project provided needed information for evaluating current Bear Management Unit boundaries, assessing localized bear-management issues or changes in public attitudes towards bears, and for evaluating localized effects of bear harvest.

David Williams. Funding provided by the Michigan DNR.

Conserving Avian Biodiversity on Managed Forest Landscapes (Completed in 2017)

One of the most challenging aspects of forest management is understanding how large-scale management systems impact regional biodiversity. Because patterns of species diversity change across spatial scales in response to changing landscape patterns, it is important to know how patterns are driving diversity at different scales. This project investigated how patterns of forest composition and structure affect breeding bird species diversity from local to regional scales in the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan. This research will provide managers with the tools to determine if management systems are meeting the objectives of sustainable forest management for maintaining regional biodiversity.

Andrew Crosby (Ph.D. 2017). Funding provided by the Boone and Crockett Endowment at Michigan State University.

Population Dynamics and Management of Wild Turkeys in Michigan (Completed in 2017)

Assessing population status and developing strategies to manage recreational harvest sustainably are fundamental tasks of wildlife management. Turkey populations are commonly monitored at management scales using raw harvest data, and rigorous techniques for assessing population abundance and spatial-temporal dynamics are lacking in most areas. Our research addressed gaps in knowledge of how to both assess and manage harvested turkey populations by developing statistical techniques for assessing abundance using existing monitoring data from southern Michigan, and using structured decision making and other decision-analytic tools to develop robust harvest strategies.

Bryan Stevens (Ph.D. 2016). Funding provided by the Michigan DNR.

Facilitating Urban-Suburban Deer Management in Michigan (Completed in 2016)

White-tailed deer often are a source of differing stakeholder opinions about the outcome of interactions with wildlife. Our goals were to assess the characteristics of communities likely to experience deer-human conflicts, and to explore a novel approach to managing deer in suburban communities at a finer spatial scale than previously attempted. Such a neighborhood-scale approach may limit the scale of the management intervention, and could reduce the number of stakeholders with whom managers would need to facilitate consensus or suggest a course of action.

Collaboration with Shawn Riley and Kim Scribner. Funding provided by the Michigan DNR.